Anacardic Acid Derivatives Isolated from Fungal Species as New Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitors.

Anacardic acid (AA) was first detected in the shells of cashew nuts, Anacardium occidentale, and is known to possess inhibitory activity against acetyltransferases. Recently, several anacardic acid derivatives (AAds) were isolated from the wild fungus, Tyromyces fissilis, which has been reported as xanthine oxidase inhibitors. In the present study, we investigated whether nine AAds function as acetyltransferase inhibitors.

Development of a Versatile Plant-Derived Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence Based on a Reporter Protein Sorting Analysis and Biological Information.

Methods for the delivery of exogenous substances to specific organelles are important because each organelle functions according to its own role. Specifically, mitochondria play an important role in energy production. Recently, plant mitochondrial transformation via delivery methods to mitochondria has been actively researched.

Plant Mitochondrial-Targeted Gene Delivery by Peptide/DNA Micelles Quantitatively Surface-Modified with Mitochondrial Targeting and Membrane-Penetrating Peptides.

Plant mitochondria play essential roles in metabolism and respiration. Recently, there has been growing interest in mitochondrial transformation for developing crops with commercially valuable traits, such as resistance to environmental stress and shorter fallow periods. Mitochondrial targeting and cell membrane penetration functions are crucial for improving the gene delivery efficiency of mitochondrial transformation.

Molecular and functional characterization of an evolutionarily conserved CREB-binding protein in the Lymnaea CNS.

In eukaryotes, CREB-binding protein (CBP), a coactivator of CREB, functions both as a platform for recruiting other components of the transcriptional machinery and as a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that alters chromatin structure. We previously showed that the transcriptional activity of cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) plays a crucial role in neuronal plasticity in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. However, there is no information on the molecular structure and HAT activity of CBP in the Lymnaea central nervous system (CNS), hindering an investigation of its postulated role in long-term memory (LTM).

Real-time visualization of intratumoral necrosis using split-luciferase reconstitution by protein trans-splicing.

Necrosis, a form of cell death, occurs not only with the development of various diseases but also with a tumor tissue response to cancer treatment. Therefore, pursuing progress for cancer therapy through induction of necrosis may be one of the most effective approaches for cancer eradication. We herein describe the development of a real-time imaging system to visualize intratumoral necrosis.

Chemoselective hydrogenation of heteroarenes and arenes by Pd-Ru-PVP under mild conditions.

Monometallic (Pd, Ru or Rh) and bimetallic (Pd-Ru) alloy NPs catalysts were examined for the hydrogenation of quinoline. Pd-Ru alloy catalyst showed superior catalytic activity to the traditional Rh catalyst. The characterization of Pd-Ru catalysts, HAADF-EDX mapping and XPS analysis suggested that the alloy state of PdRu catalysts remained unchanged in the recovered catalyst.

Benzenedithiolate-bridged MoFe complexes: structures, oxidation states, and reactivities.

Two benzendithiolate-bridged MoFe complexes, [(MeP)(CO)Mo(μ-SCH)Fe(CO)] (1) and [(MeP)(CO)Mo(μ-SCH)Fe(CO)] (2), were synthesized by reacting [Mo(SCH)(CO)(PMe)] (3) with Fe(CO). Each complex has a direct Mo-Fe bond that is supported by a bridging benzenedithiolate ligand and a semi-bridging carbonyl ligand as elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. The structural data and differences in reactivity of these complexes suggest that monophosphine complex 2 is formed via diphosphine complex 1.

Distribution of cardiac troponin I in the Japanese general population and factors influencing its concentrations.

Background: The 99th percentile of cardiac troponin I level in the general population is accepted as the cut-off for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it is not clear whether the cut-offs derived in racially and geographically different populations are applicable in Japan.

Methods: Troponin I was determined using the Abbott ARCHITECT STAT high-sensitive troponin I immunoassay in 698 apparently healthy individuals who visited the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center for a health checkup.

Systematic cytological evaluation and immunocytochemistry of minichromosome maintenance protein 2 and p53 significantly improve cytological diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary adenocarcinoma.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) brushing cytology often cannot distinguish adenocarcinoma from reactive epithelial changes. We attempted to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of ERCP using the following methods: systematic cytological evaluation, immunocytochemical examination of minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) 2 and p53, and a combination of these methods. ERCP specimens from 53 patients (13 benign and 40 malignant cases) were studied.

Significance of nuclear p-Akt in endometrial carcinogenesis: rapid translocation of p-Akt into the nucleus by estrogen, possibly resulting in inhibition of apoptosis.

Introduction: Endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma (endometrial cancer) develops through endometrial hyperplasia caused by estrogenic hyperstimulation. Estrogen is known to activate growth factor signaling pathways, resulting in cellular proliferation, but precisely how has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of estrogen and downstream factors such as the MAPK (MEK, ERK) and Akt pathways in endometrial carcinogenesis.